It seems like another 365 days have passed, and as I always note in disbelief this time of year, it’s already time for another Old Forester Birthday Bourbon release. One of the most sought-after in the company’s entire portfolio, this year’s batch of the coveted Brown-Forman bourbon will catch the eye of whiskey geeks for a number of reasons, starting with its great age, but most importantly its high strength. It matches the 12-year age statement of last year’s bottle, but sets a new high in terms of ABV/proof – a 53.5% ABV (107 proof) Birthday Bourbon. That’s not a lot in the grand scheme of things when you consider Brown-Forman’s cask strength releases – this is the same company that released 140+ proof batches of Jack Daniel’s Coy Hill – but it’s still a new high for this premium Old Forester execution, which has been hovering in the 90 proof range of late. This year’s bottle surpasses the 2019 edition at 105 proof.
Well, once upon a time, Birthday Bourbon inspired many whiskey hunters to camp out right at the distillery in Louisville for the annual release. In 2022, the company decided to change how it distributes this bottle, stopping the in-person release at the distillery in favor of the random selection (and theoretical fairness) of a nationwide raffle instead. This raffle is now entering its third year, and you can enter again here on the official website. The only caveat is that the bottles, which have an MSRP of $200 ($50 more than last year, sigh), must be picked up at the distillery in Louisville, meaning entrants from across the country must be willing to take a little vacation if they’re randomly selected. It’s honestly a clever marketing ploy by the OF team, as it more or less guarantees that a ton of people will make a pilgrimage cross-country to the distillery, where they’ll likely build lasting brand loyalty. Clever.
Nevertheless, let’s get straight to the review of this year’s Birthday Bourbon, which, as already mentioned, is a 12-year-old bourbon and has an alcohol content of 53.5% (107 proof).
On the nose, the first thing I notice is vanilla buttercream – there’s definitely a buttery/milk note. There’s also honey toffee and fresh apple slices, slightly tart, with clove and some charred oak. There are also some earthier elements here that go in a different direction to other recent Birthday Bourbon expressions – a slightly musty oak note with notes of dried tobacco. The ethanol stings a little, indicating the higher alcohol content than is usual for the series.
On the palate, this opens with a deep sweetness reminiscent of molasses spice cake, with cola spice, roasted espresso and tobacco. There is a load of tingly pepper/chilli, but I keep coming back to the sweeter cola spice, which is very much there. There are also hints of dark fruit, reminiscent of black cherries, with some sweet charcoal flavor on the finish. The oak encourages this spicy-sweet dimension, although it only contributes mild tannin, resulting in a subtle drying effect.
Overall, I like the spicy profile, though it might feel a little unbalanced in that regard—especially considering this is a $200 bottle, from which you inevitably expect a lot. At that ultra-high, luxury MSRP range, pretty much any release has to be absolutely exceptional, and this one has elements that stand out well but could probably be a bit more multifaceted. Unfortunately, that’s the higher level of scrutiny we have to apply when we’re talking about prices in the hundreds of dollars, when bottles of bourbon start to compete with a monthly car payment. Hopefully, the winners of this particular giveaway still feel like they received some level of value.
Distillery: Old Forester (Brown-Forman)
City: Louisville, Kentucky
Style: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Alcohol content: 53.5 (107 proofs)
Availability: Limited, 750 ml bottles, $150 RRP
Jim Vorel is an editor at Paste and a beer and booze fanatic. You can follow him on Twitter for more drink writing.
